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Patient Resources

Image of an African American couple and baby Preparing for ART

Healthy Babies: One At A Time

image of parents kissing their baby

Some IVF practices can increase the risk of twin pregnancies, which are risky for babies and their mothers. These fact sheets can give you more information to use when making decisions about your IVF journey.

How many embryos should I transfer to have one baby? – Download [PDF – 1MB]

Why are we worried about twin pregnancies? – Download [PDF – 1.03MB]

Preparing for infertility treatment and pregnancy requires extra time and effort. Learn more about what you can do to be healthy before, during, and after ART treatment. Being in good health also may increase the chance of pregnancy and giving birth to a healthy baby.

Using the ART Report

In the United States, more than 440 clinics provide services to patients seeking to overcome infertility. CDC’s annual Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) Clinic Success Rates Report  is one tool consumers can use to identify clinics offering medical care and other services. The report provides an in-depth picture of the ART procedures performed in U.S. fertility clinics and information about outcomes of these procedures. It includes individual clinic tables that provide ART success rates and other information from each clinic.

Selecting a Provider

Selecting a fertility clinic and ART provider that will address your specific needs can be difficult. You can find information about each fertility clinic in CDC’s annual Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) Clinic Success Rates Report. To select a fertility clinic in your state, you can also use the Interactive Clinic Tables to view the clinic profiles, services, and success rates for the latest reporting year, as well as for previous reporting years. We also recommend that you ask questions to help you learn more about the fertility clinic, its services, and staff.

Single Embryo Transfer

Fertility treatments often result in multiple births (birth of two or more infants). It is important to know that carrying and delivering twins and higher order multiples is associated with higher risk of complications for both women and infants. The decisions that you and your provider make while going through fertility treatments may affect your and your infant’s health. The American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) and Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology (SART) have released guidance on the number of embryos to transfer to reduce the chances of having a multiple birth that you may wish to discuss with your physician.

Related Links

  • U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ National Library of Medicine
    The National Library of Medicine’s, MedlinePlus, offers information on infertility including drugs and medications, medical terms, and other resources for care, support, and decision making.
  • Clinicaltrials.gov
    The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services maintains this registry of federally and privately supported clinical trials conducted in the United States and around the world. Searching the ClinicalTrials.gov database gives you information about a trial’s purpose, who may participate, locations, and contact information to obtain more details about clinical trials on infertility and related health problems.
  • Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology
    The Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology (SART) promotes and advances the standards for the practice of assisted reproductive technology to the benefit of patients, members and society at large.
  • American Society for Reproductive Medicine
    The American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) is a multidisciplinary organization for the advancement of information, education, advocacy and standards in the field of reproductive medicine.
  • Path 2 Parenthood
  • RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association
    RESOLVE is a national consumer organization that offers support for men and women dealing with infertility. Their purpose is to provide timely, compassionate support and information to people who are experiencing infertility and to increase awareness of infertility issues through public education and advocacy.
  • Livestrong Fertility
  • Urology Care Foundation
    The official foundation of the American Urological Association provides educational services and referrals to benefit patients with male infertility, and is committed to advancing urologic research and education to improve patient’s lives.
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